I was recently asked if I would like to try Bimuno IMMUNAID – a prebiotic designed to keep the immune system fit and healthy and as I spent this time last year battling flu… twice! I was keen to do everything that I can to ensure I have a healthy festive season.

Bimuno IMMUNAID come in a pastille form – they are soft and chewy and easy to digest. I was expecting an orange flavour but they are almost flavourless aside from a strange taste I can’t describe and which is why it is much better if you take them after breakfast as advised. Upon receipt I just gave them a try in the afternoon and it certainly wasn’t like my experience with other multi-vitamins – but like I said definitely take after food and you won’t know the difference!

Bimuno IMMUNAID helps encourage and sustain a healthy level of the guts ‘good’ immune supporting bacteria and by increasing and strengthening the good bacteria you support your body’s natural defences. It was also interesting to read how the pastilles are not digested by the stomach or gut but instead reach the colon where maximum results can be achieved. Additionally Bimuno IMMUNAID includes 15% RDA of Vitamin C (per 2 pastilles).

At this time of year the body is under a lot of stress – trying to get sorted for Christmas, frantically busy trying to get as much work out of the way before downing tools, you are stressing about what to buy who, the kids seem to have a constant cough and cold (the youngest has), we over indulge and don’t always continue the healthy activities we undertake year round so it is worth giving the body a little helping hand not only during this time but all the year through. I have since last years flu episode taken a multi-vitamin throughout the year whilst also trying to ensure I consume as much nutrients and vitamins through healthy food and I am happy to say that so far so good! It’s worth watching the video for more information on the benefits of taking a prebiotic at this time of year.

The pastilles arrived in good time – at a time I was suffering from severe stomach pains most likely due to something that I ate so I made a start on them. Within a few days my stomach was feeling much better and a lot less bloated and I was back to normal. Additionally the kids have started coming home from school and nursery with coughs and colds and as yet (touch wood) I am not showing any signs of catching these bugs. Additionally the pastilles are suitable for children 6+. My eldest daughter likes to take a multi-vitamin so I might see what she thinks of these.

It is worth noting that supplements are best taken in order to prevent problems and that by taking Vitamin C during times of colds, flu etc… have little benefit so try prevention as opposed to the cure.

I have a decent supply of these so I will continue to take and report back my findings as I have only been taking for just over a week. As indicated on the packaging the benefits build up over time and a daily intake is recommended. If I make it through to February without a cold I will be most impressed!

Bimuno also offer additional products aimed at supporting IBS (IBAID) and potential bugs you might associate with travel (TRAVELAID). As I have family members that suffer from IBS I will certainly be recommending that they give Bimuno products a try!

You can purchase Bimuno products from Boots or directly from Bimumo. The RRP for the Bimuno IMMUNAID pastilles is £9.99 but they feature in Boot’s 3 for 2.

GIVEAWAY!!

The good people over at Bimuno have also provided me with the opportunity to give THREE of my followers the chance to win a 1 month’s supply of Bimuno IMMUNAID!

All you have to do is comment below and share on either Facebook or Twitter or both! More you do the more chances you have of winning!

Winners will be announced on the 31st January 2014!

Disclaimer: Food supplements are intended to supplement the diet and should not be regarded as a substitute for a varied diet and a healthy lifestyle.

The Luca’s are described as a minimalist running shoes featuring a reduced seam upper with welded support overlays for ultimate comfort. A ultra lightweight IMEVA midsole with rubber pod inserts deliver a low profile racing shoe feel for the recreational athlete.

Initial Impression

I was expecting the Luca’s in a different colour way (see below) and of course gutted that the trainers sent weren’t in the colour way shown on the Hi-Tec website. I am not a fan of baby pinks – hell I barely wear any colour but black, aside from when I’m in the gym where I will experiment with neons and brighter colours. I’m sure you’ll agree that this colour way is just funkier and I would even be quite happy wearing these casually.

The shoe felt very light in my hand, in fact they weigh only 210g, and the overall quality was quite impressive, especially as Hi-Tec is regarded by some as a low end brand. The only think I noticed was a Hi-Tec badge on one of the trainers had been put on slightly skewed but you would only notice this if you really got up close.

I did however think the black cheapened the look of the shoe as the front panel was a synthetic material which gave a plastic appearance. Having looked at the Luca’s available on the Hi-Tec website there are some really funky colour ways so I wouldn’t discount this shoe entirely.

The Fit

I personally feel that the sizing comes up a little big both length and the width, I am a 6 (and had a 6 sent) but I did feel like my feet could move around in them. When I’m undertaking physical activity I want a trainer that fits me snug and not one I have to worry about slipping or my feet slipping out of (especially if I’m doing spinning!). They would be great for undertaking class activities such as LBT as they are so light and when you are coming to the end of the class and feel like you can barely lift your feet off the ground these would be great – there are times in the past where I have taken my trainers off as my feet feel so heavy!

I’m aware that these trainers are specifically labelled as a running shoe, but even with running on the treadmill I just didn’t feel comfortable. Unfortunately I didn’t wear to my usual LBT class due to them feeling big – doing squats and your feet slipping is not great!

Had the fit been perfect then I may feel completely differently about this trainer. Especially as there are some great reviews of the Luca’s on the Hi-Tec website so if you are after a reasonably priced trainer / running shoe then the Luca’s are definitely worth considering – just take into account my thoughts on sizing!

So… as I don’t plan to wear these trainers again they are up for grabs!!

As I mentioned they are a size 6, but I do feel they would fit a 6.5 / 7 at a push!

As usual all you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is the following.

So the 6th July marks one whole year since I made the decision to join a gym… one whole year!

It also marks a major achievement as I have never managed to stay at a gym more than 4-6 months. I lose motivation and interest and more importantly I didn’t see any results!

When I first signed up to the gym, in my case Pure Fitness at Lindley, the aim was to lose a bit of weight and that was happening but then finishing off my CAM Diploma in Marketing Communications, a heap of travelling for work (Cape Town & Bangkok where the food is amazing in both places) , then it was Christmas which was then topped off with two rounds of flu all took its toll and I put the weight back on plus a little more – devastating!

So in January this year I gave myself the personal challenge of not only losing weight, but to completely overhaul my health and fitness and that is how this blog was born.

And to celebrate all this, we (myself and Pure Fitness) are giving away a 7 week membership to one lucky winner (details of which can be found at the end of this post)! Another giveaway will be coming up in August which is open to everyone so keep your eyes peeled!

So what have I been doing?

Since getting back to the gym properly in January I had a workout plan put together by Oliver. This is one of the things I love about this gym, no signing you up, there’s the equipment and this is how you use it! They ask what you want to achieve and put a plan together suggesting what you should do to achieve it and promote you going back to them after 6 weeks to review it!

So I was given time on the cross trainer – high / hill setting, rowing machine, arm pulls, core bag, exercise ball core, medicine ball twists, heel taps and a few other core exercises. Thankfully he didn’t add any treadmill in but where I had time I did use it on a high incline and added in weights to increase the fat burning intensity.

This programme was doing well and I was starting to see results but as I visit the gym on my own (too many failed gym buddies in the past) I decided to start taking part in class activities in order to really push for results.

This is what I have done so far…

LBT

I love this class and take part twice a week. It’s a great fat burning workout that tones the key areas most ladies want to fix up. I have seen some major improvements from regularly taking part in this class, my legs and butt (I would say) are pretty tight and the tum is certainly on the way to being so. I now have more definition around my waist in that I am not as straight anymore and would say I have those hour glass curves. I generally burn between 250 – 350 calories per class depending on what area we start with and what props we use which can vary from medicine balls, exercise balls to even barbells!

Oliver who takes the class and who is also one of the permanent PF Gym staff members really makes sure you make the most of this class. He is friendly, approachable and will push you to work harder suggesting using heavier equipment if he thinks you can do it. There is also a really friendly vibe in the class, everyone speaks to one another and encourages each other and are all welcoming of new members. I actually feel deflated if I miss this class as it really is a good workout and positive mental pick me up!

Power Hoop

This is relatively new on the timetable at PF Gym, but has received a great reception. After only one week it went up to 2 classes per week!

I have reviewed Power Hoop previously in my blog but for those who haven’t read it yet. Power Hoop is a workout using a weighted hoop (in this class it weighs 4lbs) and promises a defined and tightened core. Not only that but you also use the hoop to perform other exercises which provides an all over body workout. I can burn up to 400 calories in this class and it is quite good for fat burning too but unbelievably increases your fitness levels too as you do have to move around whilst hooping!

Jen who takes the class is an external instructor who also works within the NHS. She is lively, enthusiastic and absolutely loves what she does having hooped herself for 6+ years before becoming a Power Hoop Instructor. Believe me, if you want proof of what Power Hoop can do for your core she is it!

Hour of Power

Hour of Power classes are quite an intense workout. It’s really covered in the title! You spend an hour undertaking a quite intense activity with the use of dumbbells. Earlier in the year I had the opportunity to take part in a class with Hour of Power guru Rajko (his father founded HOP). You do not stop in this class whatsoever, constantly jumping up and down performing dumbbell moves. A great all over body workout and calories buster which is great for improving fitness levels. In the HOP Masterclass with Rajko I burnt over 700 calories!

I started to do the Hour Of Power classes earlier in the year but due to my daughter’s swimming class changing times it was a class I had to unfortunately drop. Even getting there for the Sunday class is a bit of an issue when you have two young children to consider. So once Stevie’s has moved up a grade then hopefully I will be back to it.

In April Pure Fitness Gym achieved Hour of Power Class of the Month – take a look here to find out a little more!

Niall who takes the class is a relatively new HOP instructor but has been practicing for over 5 years! Hoping to get back to it soon!

Other Classes

I have also undertaken Yoga and Spinning on a couple of occasions, but it is all dependent upon the time I have available and what I want to achieve that week. Yoga is great for fat burning and is rather relaxing. Spinning on the other hand just kills me, great for calorie burning but my fitness levels are appalling! To see the full class timetable click here.

So what have I achieved?

Since the end of January and in conjunction with eating better I have lost over 8kg and reduced my body fat by 2% (more if you go off the measurements in the gym) and in the last month have lost quite a few CMs off my lower body (I didn’t really chart measurements in the early stage, relying solely on weight, but have learnt that there are many factors in determining how successful your weight and fitness goals are measured). So once weight loss hit a plateau I changed to measuring and it has really shown some incredible results.

Moving Forward

I plan to continue with the LBT classes (and the others I have mentioned but LBT is my key class) along with weight training which I have just recently started to help achieve the results I want. I hope to lose another 6lbs but I am now more focused on having a more toned, lean body and as muscle weighs more than fat if it means I don’t drop those extra pounds but look better, then I can live with that.

I have a deadline of 18th August (my 30th birthday) to get everything in order, everything is looking much better and I have to remember that it took me 10ish years to more or less destroy my body by not eating right, being lazy and having babies that getting it to almost perfection is not gonna happen in a matter of weeks.

After then it’s a case of maintaining! That is gonna be interesting but I will continue to plot my journey.

About Pure Fitness Gym

Previously known as Heritage Gym and based in the Heritage Mills at Lindley, Pure Fitness Gym (or PF Gym) is owned by Neil Thornton, Jonathan Pollard and Barry Jacobsz.

The gym is currently undergoing a major overhaul that includes brand new changing facilities, steam room and sauna and the very latest equipment which allows users to record training programmes and track progress. Additional work is underway to create a more open plan training area which is due to commence shortly.

A brand new website has also recently been launched allowing you to book class sessions online to ensure you get a place.

Overseeing the changes is Gym Manager, Barry Jacobsz who has worked for the gym for many years and who provides every new member with a personal training programme.

Barry has been a qualified Level 3 NASM Personal Trainer for a number of years, training a vast variety of clients from business professionals, sports specific or clients just looking to change their lifestyle.

After completing his Sports Science Degree at the University of the Orange Free State Barry became a professional athlete. He played professional rugby for 8 years representing South Africa at the Commonwealth games in Manchester and the World Games in Japan. In 2001 he was voted as South African sevens player of the year.

Barry has had the privilege to be trained by some of the best fitness trainers in the world over his career. From his vast experience over the years as a professional athlete

Other permanent members of the Pure Fitness Team include John Rathmell and Oliver Huntingdon.

All the Pure Fitness team are friendly and approachable and they are there to help you achieve your goals. If you are stuck, want to know what else you should be doing then speak to these guys! After all you only get out what you put in, but with these guys you will get more in return, they really do want to help make a difference to your fitness goals!

Want to try Pure Fitness? How about for free?

In conjunction with KatrinaComingClean, Pure Fitness are offering one lucky person the chance to win a free 7 week gym pass, which allows you access at any time of the day, use of the steam room, sauna and entry to all of the classes available!